I would recommend a 9' 6 wt fly rod with a bass bug taper line. A 3x leader should work fine. As far as flies it's hard to go wrong with a chartreuse and white Clouser minnow (size 4), brown. olive, and black wooly buggers (size 4 through . I'm also partial to olive and brown bunny leeches, size 4 and olive and white bucktail streamers tied Thunder Creek style.
If you have a little extra time something that might really bring back some memories is fishing along the lakefront for yellow perch. I was always partial to Montrose Harbor. The Park Bait Shop is right there and is open at about 4 am or so. I know it's not fly fishing but, one one of favorite guilty pleasures is catching a bunch of perch from Lake Michigan with the city skyline in back of you.
As far as security goes I've always considered it a safe area. I've been fishing it over 20 years and have never had an issue there. The police patrol it pretty well plus early morning will have a lot of joggers, birders etc. Even at sun up the lakefront is a busy place.
Looks like you used to live a little west from me. I live in LaGrange.